Charles n



(No Model.) Y C. N. HOATE. POTATO PLANTER.

-Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES N. CI-IOATE, OF GREENVILLE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO ADONIRAM J.COLBURN AND THE GORDON HOLLOW BLAST GRATE COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

POTATO-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,134, dated March10, 1896.

Application filed 001701391' 8 v1 8 9 5.

To a/Z whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES N. CHoATE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greenville, in the county of Montcalm and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Planters, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in potato-planters; and it consistsparticularly in the construction, arrangement and combination of thevarious parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of my improvedplanter. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation ofthe lower end thereof, showing the beak in the ground and the jaw opento discharge the potato. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the tube, and Eig.5 is a perspective view of the lower end of the device.

A represents a tube, preferably formed of a sheet of metal bent intotubular form, with the edges seamed together, as shown in Fig. 4. Beforeforming this sheet into the tube I reinforce the lower edge by turningback the reinforcing-fiange B, and at the upper edge of this flange Iform the rib or bead C.

At the lower end of the tube is secured a beak composed of thestationary jaw D, its upper edge secured to the reinforced lower portionof the tube and its lower portion being preferably iiattened, as shown,and the movable jaw E. The stationary vj aw has the edges formed on anincline or bevel a, or in other words is cut to a point.

In the sides of the stationary jaw are the curved or cam slots b, inwhich engage the bolts or pins o, which engage therethrough and throughthe sides of the movable jaw which overlap the sides of the stationaryjaw. These parts are so arranged that th movable jaw may be opened bybeing pivotally moved on the stationary jaw, and the movable jaw has asliding movement on the stationary jaw. In its lower position thecam-slots and the bolts therein act to draw the movable jaw tightlyagainst the bevel face of the stationary jaw. The bolts beingintermediate the Serial No. 564,993. (No model.)

length of the jaws with bearings above and below lock the movable jawagainst opening from pressure within, but allow it to open easily andquickly by pressure applied to the point. It will be seen that aseed-potato dropped into the tube and lodging in the beak between thejaws has no tendency to open them, but on the contrary rather tends tolock them the more tightly.

An arm F is attached to the movable jaw by means of a bolt G, passingthrough a slot F in said arm, to vertically adjust the same. H is afoot-rest, reversibly attached by bolts to the upper part of the iiXedjaw or to the lower part of the tube, preferably the reinforced portion.

I is a handle on the top portion of the tube.

The operation is as follows: The operator drops a potato into the top ofthe tube, and then thrusts the beak into the ground as far as the arm Fwill permit. This movement slides the movable jaw up until the bolts care at or near the top of the slots. The operator then rocks the upperpart of the planter, which opens the jaws, as shown in Fig. 3, andallows the seed-potato to drop out free from the jaws.

The advantage of the reinforced lower end of the tube is that itprevents liability of breaking of the tube under the constant leverageto which it is subjected, and which without this reinforcement is offrequent occurrence, unless the tube is made of such heavy material asto make it unwieldy.

I believe I am the first to construct such a hand-planter of the typehaving a fixed and a movable jaw, the movable jaw being pivoted to andhaving a longitudinal movement upon the stationary jaw.

I believe I am the rst to lock the jaws together in such a manner thatthey cannot be opened by pressure from the inside, but are unlocked bybeing thrust into the ground.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a planter, a beak having a fixedjaw, and a movable jaw pivoted to said xed jaw, and also longitudinallymovable relative thereto, substantially as described.

2. In a planter, the combination of a tube, a fixed jaw secured to thesaine, having par- IOO allel sides, and slots in the said sides, amovable jaw engaging said fixed jaw, and having pivot-bolts engaging andtraversing said slots, substantially as described.

3. In a planter, a beak consisting of a fixed jaw, having parallelsides, having curved slotted openings, a movable jaw having parallelsides embracing the parallel sides of said fixed jaw, and anglesengaging the sides thereof, and pivot-bolts connecting said fixed andmovable jaws and traversing said slots, substantially as described.

4. In a planter, the combination of a tube,

a fixed jaw attached to the same having parallel sides, having slots, amovable jaw, having parallel sides and angles engaging the sides andedges of said fixed jaw, and pivotbolts connecting said fixed andmovable jaws and traversing said slots, and an adjustable arm attachedto said movable jaw and proj ectin g therefrom, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a planter, a beak having a iixed and a movable jaw, said movablejaw being movable outward from and longitudinally with respect to saidfixed jaw, and an arm attached to said movable jawand engaging theground, substantially as described.

G. In a planter, the combination of the fixed and movable jaw, of a lockfor the movable jaw in its closed position to hold it against opening byinterior pressure, but free to re-4 lease it upon insertion of the beakinto the ground.

7. In a planter, the combination of the fixed and the movable jaw hingedtogether, of a lock for the hinge-joint of the movable jaw, and meansfor releasing said lock as the beak is inserted into the ground.

8. In a planter, the combination of the tube of sheet metal, an externalreinforcing-flange B at the lower edge thereof and the beak secured tothe reinforced portion oi' the tube, substantially as described.

9. In a planter, the combination of the sheetmetal tube the fiange Bturned back upon the lower edge of the tube to form a reinforcementthereon, the beak secured to the reinforced portion, and the bead C inthe reinforced portion at a point directly above the end of the beak,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES N. (,flIOA'll Witnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE, M. B. ODOGHERTY.

